MEA hits out at Pakistan for compromising security of 8 Indian officials in Islamabad

MEA hits out at Pakistan for compromising security of 8 Indian officials in Islamabad

In a sharp rebuke to Pakistan, over 'baseless and unsubstantiated' allegations levelled by Pakistan against 8 officials of the Indian High Commission in Islamabad, External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Vikas Swarup said that the allegations against Indian officials in the Pak capital represent an 'after-thought' and a 'crude attempt' to hit back at India through its men posted there.

In a sharp rebuke to Pakistan, over ‘baseless and unsubstantiated’ allegations levelled by Pakistan against 8 officials of the Indian High Commission in Islamabad, External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Vikas Swarup said that the allegations against Indian officials in the Pak capital represent an ‘after-thought’ and a ‘crude attempt’ to hit back at India through its men posted there. The MEA has also strongly protested the manner in which the names and photos of these Indian officials were published.

MEA spokesperson Vikas Swaroop said, “We completely reject baseless and unsubstantiated allegations made by Pakistan against certain officials of the Indian High Commission in Islamabad. Pakistan’s false allegations against them have the potential to adversely affect the corresponding activities of the High commission”. Swaroop was addressing media after six Pakistan High Commission staffers in Delhi left for home citing security risks and identities of Indian diplomated were leaked to Pakistani media.

Slamming the neighbouring country the spokesperson said, “Indian officials falsely implicated were working in fields of promoting people to people and trade, economic contacts between the two countries. Government protests the strongly manner in which names, photos of eight Indian officials, four of them holders of diplomatic passports, have been published in media. We have not yet recalled any of those officials, only one was declared persona non grata. We have lodged our application for NSG, now members will take a decision on it. We interacted with China on this matter as well.”

He also blamed Pakistan for the bitter relation between the two countries. “Root cause of problems between India and Pakistan is Pakistan’s support to cross-border terrorism and its promotion as an element of state policy. It should create a conducive atmosphere in which discussions on regional prosperity could take place within SAARC framework,” he said.

On ceasefire violation and cross-border firing he said, Our security forces neither initiate ceasefire violation nor they target civilians, they just retaliate in calibrated manner. We reject Pakistan’s allegations of any unprovoked firing, we have lodged a strong protest with the neighbour country for killing our civilians.

Many ceasefire violation incidents occurred near India-Pakistan border in the recent past and a one and half-year-old girl, Pari was injured in the fresh incident on Tuesday night.